Best ideas for saving $$ - unexpected trip soon

[LOVETHATMOUSE]

We just found out that we will be going to Dance Nationals in Disney (YEAH). Of course we will be going, but we only have 3 months to save for the trip - airfare, hotel, food, etc. We are already going to WDW in late August for my daughter's sweet 16 - tickets bought, everything is in order thank goodness. I told my dd that we have to really scrimp and save for this last minute trip. She really wants to do this, and I do have the vacation time at work, so we committed to it. One good thing is we don't have to purchase tix for both trips b/c our annual pass will come in very handy Any suggestions?

 

[Disneylush]

read the thread "vacation fund" down about 10 threads.

 

[Marionnette]

read the thread "vacation fund" down about 10 threads.

Linking (because it won't always be about 10 threads down)
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2689270

 

[LOVETHATMOUSE]

Thanks!

 

[czycropper]

Congrats to your daughter!!!! What Nationals company? What's her dance school? Are you competing in any regionals here in New Jersey?

I wish our dance school would go to a National competition - we only do regionals here in NJ even though most of the dances are asked to go to Nationals. My 13 yo has been doing solos now for 3 years and always has either High Gold or 1st Place Gold.

The thread that was linked has great ideas.

We did go to WDW to dance there through Disney Music Days in 2008 and are going back next year.

Here's some of the tips I remember from then - some of the parents in 2008 actually drove down to save on money, we flew from JFK since we got a good fare from there. You may also check out going out of Philadelphia or Allentown for fare since for some of the fares are cheaper but they do include more layovers but to save $$ I would layover.

Foodwise - we had breakfast in the room and some lunches in the room and spend most of our money on dinners. The parents that drove actually brought down some of our groceries (& liquor ) and costumes. About 10 parents had groceries delivered to their room.

Also, check into booking the hotel independently from the dance school/Nationals company block. We found out that it was actually cheaper when we did it that way, then when we checked in we just requested to be near the other families that had booked through the dance school.

 

[LOVETHATMOUSE]

Congrats to your daughter!!!! What Nationals company? What's her dance school? Are you competing in any regionals here in New Jersey?.

We are based in Long Island. The Nationals company we are doing is Dance Explosion, and yes we did compete in NJ this year. We usually do at least one competition in NJ. We did NJ in February this past year. My dd is 15 and has been doing solos for 4 years now..she gets High Platinum, Platinum and also places. She solos in Tap, but does group numbers in Jazz and Tap, plus an elite tap tean. What does your dd do?

As for the room, I think we are getting a great rate though the company...now if the airfare was a great rate that would be awesome!

 

[czycropper]

My DD does jazz, lyrical, ballet & production. This year her solos are in lyrical & jazz and group dances in ballet, lyrical, jazz & production-yep, only 6 dances this year. The dance school usually goes to Starbound & NDS competitions. My DH says that we could take vacations to Europe every year if she stopped dancing with the money we would save

Since you're in Long Island - check flights out of Islip. My Dad lives near Tampa and my sister (she lives in Hicksville) takes flights out of there to go see him and says that they are really reasonable. As opposed to me which I go out of Newark.

 

[LOVETHATMOUSE]

We did Starbound this year in NJ..I wonder if you were there too? After the sticker shock of airfare, we have decided to go Amtrak this time. We did it once before and it was fine. I am checked out rates from islip and believe it or not, they were more $$ than JFK! I have to check out Tampa rates, though, I didn't think of that..Thanks!